Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia carried out previously undisclosed airstrikes inside Iran earlier this year in retaliation for attacks targeting the kingdom during the regional war, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two Western officials and two Iranian officials familiar with the matter.

The Saudi Air Force conducted the strikes in late March, marking the first publicly known direct Saudi military action on Iranian territory, according to the report. One Western official described the operation as “tit-for-tat strikes” launched after Saudi Arabia came under attack during the conflict.

The reported strikes came amid widening regional fallout following US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Tehran later launched missiles and drones targeting US assets and bases across all six Gulf Cooperation Council states while closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Read more: Long war with Iran: Repetition of history but with less preparation

Despite the military exchanges, Riyadh reportedly maintained diplomatic communication with Tehran throughout the conflict in an effort to prevent broader escalation. Reuters indicated that Saudi Arabia informed Iran of the retaliatory strikes through diplomatic channels, followed by intensive contacts and warnings of further action, eventually leading to an informal understanding aimed at reducing tensions.

One Iranian official quoted by Reuters confirmed that Tehran and Riyadh agreed to “cease hostilities, safeguard mutual interests, and prevent escalation.”

Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, characterized the pattern of retaliation followed by de-escalation as a “pragmatic recognition” by both countries that uncontrolled escalation carried unacceptable risks.

The informal understanding reportedly took effect shortly before Washington and Tehran agreed to a broader ceasefire on April 7.

Saudi Arabia had increasingly warned of possible military responses in the weeks preceding the strikes, the agency noted. On March 19, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud declared that Riyadh reserved the right to take military action if necessary. Three days later, Saudi authorities expelled Iran’s military attaché along with four Iranian embassy staff members.

Data cited by Reuters from the Saudi Defense Ministry showed that attacks targeting the kingdom declined sharply after the end of March, dropping from more than 105 missile and drone strikes in one week to around 25 during the first week of April.

It also reported that projectiles launched at Saudi Arabia shortly before the broader ceasefire were believed by Western sources to have originated from Iraqi territory rather than directly from Iran, suggesting Tehran had reduced direct attacks while allied armed groups continued operations.

Saudi Arabia later summoned Iraq’s ambassador on April 12 to protest attacks launched from Iraqi territory.

Read more: Iraqi factions' cross-border attacks draw warnings and Arab pressure

Reuters added that tensions briefly escalated again on April 7 and 8 after Saudi authorities reported dozens of drones and missiles targeting the kingdom, prompting Riyadh to consider retaliatory measures against Iran and Iraq before diplomatic efforts resumed.

Neither Saudi authorities nor Iran’s Foreign Ministry directly confirmed the reported operations, although a senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official reaffirmed Riyadh’s commitment to de-escalation and regional stability.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that the main obstacle to ending the war and reaching a potential agreement remains Washington’s lack of “good faith and credibility.”

According to a statement, Araghchi made the remarks during talks in Tehran with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, where the two sides discussed bilateral relations and developments linked to the Islamabad-mediated negotiations. Araghchi also blamed the ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz on the “US-Israeli aggression” against Iran and the continuing blockade on Iranian ports.

Iranian media reported that Tehran has conditioned any return to negotiations on ending the war across all fronts, including Lebanon, alongside sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Citing an informed source, Fars News Agency said Iran’s conditions also include compensation for war-related damages and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The source added that Tehran informed Pakistan that the continuing US naval blockade had further weakened trust in negotiations with Washington, arguing that no new talks could proceed unless Iran’s five conditions were addressed.

According to the report, Iranian officials view recent US proposals as one-sided attempts to secure through diplomacy objectives Washington failed to achieve militarily.

Read more: Iran is losing the war, the US is losing the endgame

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq and Pakistan have reached separate arrangements with Iran to move crude oil and liquefied natural gas through the Gulf, according to sources cited by Reuters, as regional conflict continues to disrupt global energy flows.

An Iraqi oil ministry official familiar with the talks told Reuters that Baghdad is seeking Iranian approval to increase tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to protect oil revenues that make up nearly 95% of Iraq’s state budget. “Iraq is a close ally of Iran, and any deterioration in Iraq’s economy would also damage Iran’s economic interests in the country,” the official said.

A second Iraqi oil ministry source and a shipping industry source also confirmed continued coordination with Tehran. Reuters reported that Iraq secured the passage of two supertankers carrying around two million barrels of crude each through Hormuz on Sunday.

Pakistan, meanwhile, arranged the transit of two Qatari LNG cargoes under a separate understanding with Iran to help meet rising summer electricity demand.

According to the report, neither Iraq nor Pakistan made direct payments to Iran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the transit arrangements.

The agreements come as the US-Israeli war with Iran and the US blockade on Iranian ports continue to strain exports from a region that typically supplies around one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas.

Read more: Iraq's oil lifeline is blocked

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s National Security Service introduced on Tuesday a new multi-role drone system designed to strengthen aerial surveillance and field intelligence operations.

The unmanned platform, named “SARA 1,” is equipped with advanced monitoring and imaging systems capable of operating day and night under various weather conditions while offering high maneuverability and rapid response capabilities.

According to the agency, the drone has already undergone field deployment and demonstrated “efficiency and reliability” in executing security missions, with officials describing the launch as part of broader efforts to improve operational control and address evolving threats through modern technology.

The announcement comes amid wider Iraqi efforts to upgrade the country’s military and air defense infrastructure. Earlier this year, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani directed authorities to modernize and expand Iraq’s air defense capabilities.

On March 31, the cabinet also approved contracts for new air defense systems and related logistical requirements while reviewing plans to resume air traffic across Iraqi airspace under enhanced security measures.

Read more: Iraq's air defense void: US vetoes, Russian limits leave Baghdad exposed

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syrians continue to face worsening economic conditions marked by rising prices, declining purchasing power, and growing poverty, with many families increasingly relying on remittances and debt to secure basic needs.

A field survey conducted by Shafaq News in Damascus, its countryside, Aleppo, Homs, and Latakia found widespread stagnation in local markets due to weak consumer spending, as residents described the current situation as a phase of survival only.

Abu Mohammed, a former public sector employee from rural Damascus, said his salary before the fall of the previous government “barely covered a few days,” explaining that the suspension of salaries for many public-sector workers forced families to depend on relatives abroad.

“Today, there is no stable source of income,” he noted, adding, “People are selling their belongings or borrowing money to secure food and medicine.”

Local economic estimates indicate that Syrians’ purchasing power has declined by between 30% and 50% in recent months due to rising prices and fluctuations in the Syrian pound on the unofficial market. 

Recent economic reports also showed that the minimum monthly cost of living in Syria has reached nearly two million Syrian pounds, equivalent to around $169.

Amer Deeb, an economic researcher and head of the Syrian Renaissance Council, described the crisis as stagflation affecting living conditions across the country. “Remittances from abroad had become the backbone of household consumption in Syria amid weak wages and declining local production.”

In Aleppo, Umm Ali, a mother of three, said her family now depends on “one main meal a day” after food and fuel prices increased. “Bread and vegetables have become a daily burden,” she added, emphasizing that education, healthcare, and transportation had become “luxuries for many people.”

The owner of “Masar” money transfer office in Damascus told Shafaq News that remittances, once used to improve living standards, had become “the only lifeline for entire families.”

The International Monetary Fund recently reported that there were “signs of recovery” in the Syrian economy, while stressing the need for banking reforms and stronger monetary policies to ensure financial stability.

Shafaq News- Kuwait City

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Toutounchi on Tuesday, delivering an official protest note over “an attempted armed infiltration” reportedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan called on Tehran to “immediately and unconditionally” halt such “hostile” actions, holding Iran fully responsible for what he described as a flagrant violation of Kuwaiti sovereignty and a breach of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026.

استدعت وزارة الخارجية، ممثلة بسعادة السفير حمد سليمان المشعان، نائب وزير الخارجية، اليوم الثلاثاء الموافق 12 مايو 2026، سعادة السفير محمد توتونجي، سفير الجمهورية الإسلامية الإيرانية لدى دولة الكويت، حيث تم تسليمه مذكرة احتجاج على إثر قيام مجموعة مسلحة من عناصر الحرس الثوري… pic.twitter.com/7K4iCDtIkG

— وزارة الخارجية (@MOFAKuwait) May 12, 2026

Kuwait, he said, reserves the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and may take any measures it deems necessary to protect its sovereignty, territorial security, and residents.

Earlier today, Kuwaiti authorities arrested four alleged infiltrators accused of links to the IRGC. According to Kuwait’s Interior Ministry, cited by state-run KUNA, the suspects, who attempted to enter the country by sea to carry out “hostile acts,” confessed during questioning to belonging to the IRGC.

Investigators claimed the group had been tasked with infiltrating Bubiyan Island aboard a rented fishing boat to conduct operations targeting Kuwait, where they later clashed with security forces, injuring one serviceman while two members of the group reportedly escaped.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Disagreements over disarming armed factions and disputes among political blocs over key ministries are delaying the announcement of Iraq’s new government lineup, with political sources warning Prime Minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi could withdraw from the process altogether.

One of the main obstacles stems from a committee formed by Al-Zaidi and the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework to oversee efforts to restrict weapons to state control, a political source told Shafaq News, adding that several armed factions continue to reject surrendering their weapons due to uncertainty over “who would ultimately control the arsenals and how they would be handled.”

The committee reportedly divided the factions into four categories, including groups formally integrated into the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) but still maintaining separate armed identities and command structures, such as Saraya Al-Salam and Saraya Ashura.

“Other factions that participated alongside Iran in the recent regional war are also resisting proposals to hand over weapons to Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service,” the source continued, noting that Al-Zaidi proposed personally supervising the transfer of arms to a state security institution.

The discussions also include armed wings affiliated with political parties holding representation in government, which would be required to dissolve structures operating outside official military and security institutions. The source indicated that some factions “responded positively” to integration proposals, while others “continue to negotiate conditions tied to disarmament.”

The issue emerged after the Coordination Framework agreed with Al-Zaidi to form a committee overseeing the process, headed by the prime minister-designate alongside caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Badr Organization leader Hadi Al-Amiri.

The move came days after Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr proposed merging armed factions under a body linked to Iraq’s Hajj and Umrah Authority, while offering to dissolve his own movement’s armed wings if the plan proceeds.

Separate political disputes have further complicated cabinet negotiations, with Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish blocs revising nominee lists and reopening competition over sovereign ministries, particularly oil, finance, and interior.

Sources told Shafaq News that rivalry remains intense between the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri Al-Maliki, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition associated with Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and the Al-Hikma (Wisdom) Movement led by Ammar Al-Hakim, especially over control of the oil ministry.

Political analyst Abu Mithaq Al-Masari warned that mounting disputes and pressure on Al-Zaidi could ultimately push him to step down from the task of forming the government if mediation efforts fail in upcoming Coordination Framework meetings.

Read more: Ali al-Zaidi named Iraq's prime minister: Easy nomination, harder road ahead

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi authorities on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against Nour Al-Din Ahmed Mohsen Faraj, the son of a senior Kataib Hezbollah armed group leader, under Article 4 of Iraq’s anti-terrorism law.

According to the warrant, Nour Al-Din is accused of “using violence and threats aimed at undermining the country’s security and stability, spreading fear among the public, and endangering lives, freedoms, and public safety.”

The warrant came one day after Al-Israa University announced that its president, Abdul Razzaq Jabr Al-Majidi, had received direct threats from an armed group after the university administration refused to pass an engineering student in violation of official academic regulations and ministry standards.

Shafaq News- Damascus

ISIS on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack targeting a Syrian army bus in Hasakah province in eastern Syria, an assault that killed two soldiers and wounded others.

In a statement published by the group’s Amaq news agency, ISIS said its fighters killed and wounded six Syrian soldiers during the ambush. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that two Syrian army soldiers were killed and several others were injured in the attack.

Earlier on Thursday, ISIS also claimed responsibility for the killing of Sheikh Farhan al-Mansour, the preacher of Syria’s Sayyida Zeinab shrine, days after a bomb exploded in Damascus.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Hamburg

Intelligence-sharing and judicial coordination with Germany helped prevent a “dangerous terrorist plot” in the city of Hamburg, Iraq’s National Center for International Judicial Cooperation announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the center said the attack had reached advanced preparatory stages and was intended to target civilian gatherings inside the German city.

The statement indicated that the operation was disrupted following the exchange of high-value information and evidence between the Iraqi and German sides, enabling German authorities to intensify surveillance and take urgent measures before the attack could be carried out.

Shafaq News- Washington

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to remain heavily disrupted through late May, pushing US gasoline prices up to $3.88, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would “likely resume gradually” next month but would not return to pre-war levels until later this year. Before the conflict, the waterway carried roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies.

Around 10.5 million barrels per day of crude production were shut in during April across Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain amid disruptions tied to the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, the agency said.

Global oil inventories are expected to decline by an average of 8.5 million bpd during the second quarter, helping keep Brent crude prices near $106 per barrel through May and June.

Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washington

Iran on Tuesday warned that any attack would trigger an immediate response, saying failure to resolve disputes diplomatically would lead to further “defeats on the battlefield.”

Cited by Iranian state media, Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Reza Talaei added that Tehran had proven its ability to defend itself “diplomatically and militarily.”

Earlier today, Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, indicated that Tehran could move to raise uranium enrichment to 90% in the event of a new US strike, adding that parliament is set to review the option.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, stressed that Washington would maintain pressure on Tehran through sanctions and the naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports while continuing direct contacts with Iranian officials. He has repeatedly insisted that any agreement must end Iran’s uranium enrichment program and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Separately, acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told lawmakers that the cost of the Iran war had risen to $29 billion, citing updated operational and replacement costs tied to maintaining US forces in the Middle East.

Shafaq News- Karbala/ Najaf

Iraq's Karbala Operations commander on Tuesday delivered the first detailed on-record account of the early March clash in the Al-Nukhaib desert linked by international reporting to an alleged covert Israeli site.

Accompanied by Shafaq News, Lieutenant General Ali Al-Hashemi led a field tour through the Janana area, near the administrative boundary with Najaf, alongside the Army Chief of Staff, senior military commanders, Defense Ministry media officials, and a group of journalists. The delegation inspected the incident sites across the desert stretch between Karbala and Najaf.

Al-Hashemi said a report came in on March 2 that an unidentified force had been airlifted into Janana, prompting the Joint Operations Command and the Army Chief of Staff to order an immediate response. A column of around 40 vehicles from Karbala Operations advanced on the location and came under fire on March 4, leading to the death of one soldier and the injury of another. Iraqi forces then established full control of the zone, and a comprehensive search the following day turned up no camps, fixed positions, or irregular formations.

Lieutenant General Saad Maan, head of Iraq's Security Media Cell, separately confirmed that troops had fired on aerial targets during the confrontation. He said the unidentified group's presence lasted only a few hours, rejected accounts of a permanent foreign military base in the western desert, and added that operations are continuing to deter further breaches.

The disclosures follow a Wall Street Journal report last week stating that Israel had established a covert military site in Iraq's western desert linked to its operations against Iran during the regional escalation that began on February 28, and that Iraqi troops approaching the location had come under air strikes. Israeli outlets, including the Jerusalem Post and JFeed, have separately reported on an alleged secret facility inside Iraq used for Iran-related operations, alongside claims of outside intervention to block any investigation.

In earlier statements, the Joint Operations Command has maintained that wide-ranging sweeps across the Karbala and Najaf deserts produced no evidence of foreign troops or equipment after the March incident, while Badr bloc MP Shaker Abu Turab Al-Tamimi told our agency on May 11 that what he described as an "American-Israeli camp" remained active in western Iraq, and that Iraqi forces had not been permitted to approach it.

Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washington

American naval forces forced a Greek-flagged tanker carrying Iraqi crude oil to reverse course after it crossed the Strait of Hormuz with Iran’s approval, marking the first reported case of a non-Iranian commercial vessel being turned back at the US blockade line, semi-official Tasnim News Agency said on Tuesday.

The tanker AGOIS FANOURIOS I had transited the Strait a day earlier before entering the Sea of Oman and setting course toward Vietnam.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not directly confirmed the incident involving the vessel. However, the command indicated that US forces have redirected 65 commercial ships and disabled four vessels since the naval blockade on Iran began on April 13.

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) continues operations in the Arabian Sea, including enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran. CENTCOM forces have redirected 65 commercial vessels and disabled 4. pic.twitter.com/5eV9g0CTLy

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 12, 2026

The United States and Iran continue to impose maritime restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, with the US Navy preventing vessels from entering or departing Iranian ports while Tehran maintains limits on commercial traffic through the strategic waterway, which carries around 20% of global oil supplies.

Read more: Force without a finish line: Iran losing war, US losing endgame

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Before spring slips away each year, Suad Ali follows a journey she has known since childhood. Alongside her mother and grandmother, she heads to the shrine of al-Khidr on the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad, carrying candles, silent prayers, and wishes too personal to say aloud.

As darkness settles over the river, dozens of small flames begin drifting across the water. Families gather quietly along the shore, watching the candles float into the night as if the river itself might carry their desires somewhere beyond reach.

“With every candle, we carry a wish,” Ali reflected to Shafaq News. “We pray that it will come true.”

Known in Iraq as “al-Khidr Candles,” the ceremony remains one of the country’s oldest surviving folk traditions. For generations, families living near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have marked certain spring evenings by lighting candles and placing them on palm fronds or small wooden boards before releasing them into the current. The occasion is especially associated with the month of May, which Iraqi popular tradition links to blessings, renewal, and answered prayers.

Many Iraqis believe al-Khidr —a revered figure in Islamic tradition associated with wisdom, guidance, and miraculous appearances during hardship— becomes spiritually present during this period. Some arrive hoping for marriage, while others pray for healing, the return of an absent relative, success for a child, or relief from personal struggles. The farther a candle travels without being extinguished, according to popular belief, the greater the chance that the accompanying prayer will be fulfilled.

Although no clear historical account explains how the custom first emerged in Iraq, folklore researchers believe it likely evolved through the blending of local traditions and older spiritual practices tied to rivers and flowing water. Iraqi folklore researcher Ali al-Ward explained that Wednesday and Thursday nights have long been regarded as blessed evenings in Iraqi social life, which is why many families choose one of those nights to perform the ceremony.

Al-Ward stressed that the practice is rooted more in emotional and social memory than in religious doctrine. Over time, he noted, it became part of Iraq’s cultural identity, surviving political upheaval, wars, and the rapid transformations that reshaped everyday life across the country.

For women in particular, the tradition often carries deeply personal meanings shaped by longing, uncertainty, and optimism. Some longstanding customs involve unmarried women removing their abayas inside the shrine courtyard while praying for marriage, while others later return with offerings of myrtle, lit candles, and trays filled with traditional treats after believing their wishes have been fulfilled.

“They arrive carrying flowers while women around them break into ululations,” Bidaa Abdul Zahra described, recalling evenings when marriages or long-awaited prayers were celebrated at the shrine.

Near the al-Khidr shrine in Baghdad’s al-Allawi district, Palestinian-Iraqi resident Nihal al-Zaki still remembers childhood evenings spent watching glowing candles drift toward her neighborhood from distant parts of the capital.

“Whenever a flame stayed lit for a long time, we believed someone’s wish would finally come true,” al-Zaki recalled. “We waited for those candles every Wednesday night.”

Women traditionally remained standing by the riverbank until the candles disappeared into the darkness, holding onto the fragile comfort offered by the tiny moving lights. Over time, “al-Khidr Candles” found their way into Iraqi poetry, folk songs, and oral storytelling, becoming more than a custom —a symbol of patience, longing, and resilience.

The tradition also stretches beyond religious boundaries. Sattar al-Hilu, the spiritual leader of Iraq’s Mandaeans —an ancient monotheistic community whose religious practices center on flowing water and baptism— noted that Mandaean religious texts contain no references to vows or offerings linked to al-Khidr, though the figure remains deeply respected among Mandaeans, much as he is among Muslims and other Iraqi communities.

Among Christians, some believers associate al-Khidr with Mar Elias, or Saint Elijah. Raya Emmanuel, from the Christian-majority district of Hamdaniya in Nineveh province, explained that Christians also light candles in his honor, though more as a gesture of reverence toward a sacred figure than a ceremony tied to personal wishes.

Along the rivers that shaped some of humanity’s earliest civilizations, the small floating flames continue to gather Iraqis from different faiths and backgrounds around something profoundly simple: the enduring desire to believe that even the faintest light can survive the current.

Shafaq News- Kuwait City/ Manama

Kuwait arrested four alleged infiltrators accused of links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday, while Bahrain handed down three life sentences in separate security-related cases tied to the group.

According to Kuwait’s Interior Ministry, cited by state-run KUNA, the suspects, who attempted to enter the country by sea to carry out “hostile acts,” confessed during questioning to belonging to the IRGC. Investigators claimed the group had been tasked with infiltrating Bubiyan Island aboard a rented fishing boat to conduct operations targeting Kuwait, where they later clashed with security forces, injuring one serviceman while two members of the group reportedly escaped.

استكمالًا لبيان وزارة الدفاع بشأن القبض على 4 متسللين حاولوا دخول البلاد بحرًا وزارة الداخلية: اعتراف مجموعة المتسللين إلى أراضي الكويت أثناء التحقيق معهم بانتمائهم إلى الحرس الثوري في الجمهورية الإسلامية الإيرانية- اعترفوا بتكليفهم بالتسلل إلى جزيرة بوبيان على متن قارب صيد… pic.twitter.com/9YX668nuyJ

— كونا KUNA (@kuna_ar) May 12, 2026

In Bahrain, the High Criminal Court sentenced a woman convicted of operating a social media account that published coordinates and images of sensitive sites, alongside two defendants accused of supporting militant activities and gathering intelligence on key facilities for Iranian-linked operatives. The rulings also included confiscation orders and fines of 10,000 Bahraini dinars ($26,500) for two of the defendants.

السجن المؤبد لمتهمة سعت وتخابرت مع الحرس الثوري الإيراني الإرهابي للقيام بأعمال عدائية ضد مملكة البحرين والإضرار بمصالحها القوميةhttps://t.co/7FTqhkMCTv

— وكالة أنباء البحرين (@bna_ar) May 12, 2026

الحكم بالسجن المؤبد لمتهمين تخابرا مع الحرس الثوري الإيراني الإرهابي للقيام بأعمال عدائية إرهابية ضد مملكة البحرينhttps://t.co/NI8Nvr2QUI

— وكالة أنباء البحرين (@bna_ar) May 12, 2026

Earlier this month, Bahraini authorities arrested 41 people accused of links to the IRGC and adherence to the ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih —a Shia political doctrine developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini— the Interior Ministry said.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) is contracting an independent audit firm to assess which banks have met the first phase of its banking reform program, a step that could restore their access to foreign currency transfer channels, the bank announced Tuesday.

CBI said it continues to work with restricted institutions to help them meet supervisory requirements, while compliant banks await the independent assessment that will determine whether their access is restored. The bank did not name the audit firm or provide a timeline for completion.

The restrictions trace back to 2023, when the US Federal Reserve and Treasury Department flagged dozens of Iraqi private banks for transactions suspected of facilitating dollar flows to Iran and other sanctioned parties. Washington responded by cutting those banks off from the dollar correspondent banking system, a move that effectively froze their ability to conduct international transfers. The CBI subsequently launched its reform program as a framework for restoring access to banks that could demonstrate compliance with international standards.

Iraqi banks are now completing the second phase of that program, which centers on governance, transparency, and institutional performance. The incoming independent audit will evaluate banks that cleared phase one against international transfer requirements, covering not only dollar channels but also euro, UAE dirham, and Chinese yuan access.

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed lower against the Iraqi dinar in Baghdad on Tuesday, falling by 200 dinars in the capital's main exchanges during the day's trading.

According to Shafaq News market survey, exchange rates at Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya central stock exchanges settled at 154,050 dinars per $100, compared with 154,250 dinars earlier in the day.

Selling prices at local exchange shops in Baghdad reached 154,500 dinars per $100, while buying prices stood at 153,500 dinars.

In Erbil, the dollar was unchanged from the morning session, with selling prices at 153,750 dinars per $100 and buying prices at 153,650 dinars.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Parliament Deputy Speaker Farhad Atrushi confirmed on Tuesday that the date for a parliamentary session to grant confidence to the new government remains “unknown,” citing continued disputes and negotiations among the country’s Shiite and Sunni political forces.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament building in Baghdad, Atrushi said that Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi has not yet formally requested a session to present his cabinet for approval.

Last week, al-Zaidi submitted a 14-point ministerial program to Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi ahead of an expected confidence vote. Under Article 76 of Iraq’s constitution, the prime minister-designate has 30 days from his April 27 nomination to form a government and secure parliamentary approval.

A lawmaker from the Shiite Badr bloc told Shafaq News, earlier today, that disputes within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the largest bloc that named al-Zaidi, over the distribution of sovereign and security ministries were preventing him from finalizing his cabinet lineup. Separately, Shakhawan Abdullah, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc, linked the possible delay in government formation to what he described as “regional and international interventions.”

On the Sunni front, political blocs have submitted competing candidate lists for ministerial posts in the incoming federal government, according to our sources.

Read more: Ali al-Zaidi named Iraq's prime minister: Easy nomination, harder road ahead

Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Regional Government's Interior Ministry began enforcing a 40,000-dinar ($30) fine against anyone who throws waste from a vehicle onto public streets or open spaces, effective immediately.

Heman Mirani, director general of the ministry's administrative bureau, said the measure took effect on May 12, 2026, and applies to both drivers and passengers. “Throwing waste from vehicles will no longer be considered normal or acceptable,” he stated.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq granted citizenship to 2,557 foreigners between 2006 and 2026, the Interior Ministry announced Tuesday, offering the first comprehensive public accounting of naturalization figures spanning two decades.

Major General Miqdad Miri, head of the ministry's Relations and Media Department, said that all naturalization cases proceeded under applicable legal standards and current administrative instructions, with each grant subject to security and procedural clearances before approval.

Citizenship in Iraq rests on Law No. 26 of 2006, which sets strict conditions designed to preserve what the law describes as "sovereign integrity." The law recognizes several pathways to citizenship. Birth to an Iraqi father or mother qualifies automatically, a significant change introduced by the 2006 law to extend equal rights to children of Iraqi mothers. Foreign nationals married to Iraqi citizens may apply after five years of continuous legal residence, provided the marriage remains intact. Unmarried foreigners who have lived legally in Iraq for at least ten years may also apply, subject to a clean criminal record, no conviction for a dishonorable offense, and proof of a visible means of livelihood.

Meeting these conditions, however, does not guarantee citizenship. The law grants no automatic entitlement: each application goes before senior state authorities and intelligence agencies for a final discretionary security review, and approval can be withheld even where all formal requirements are satisfied.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

The Teaching Veterinary Hospital in Kirkuk on Tuesday launched a preventive campaign as part of preparations for the seasonal spread of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), carrying out disinfection operations at slaughterhouses, animal markets, and livestock barns across several areas of the province.

Mansour Ahmed al-Bayati, the hospital’s director, told Shafaq News that the campaign affiliated veterinary clinics under a preventive plan aimed at limiting the spread of epidemic diseases, particularly hemorrhagic fever, as temperatures rise and livestock movement increases.

Al-Bayati said the teams disinfected Kirkuk’s modern slaughterhouse and animal holding areas, in addition to livestock barns in al-Wataniya village and several other villages, districts, and subdistricts across the province. He explained that the preventive measures target insects and parasites that transmit diseases and aim to maintain healthy conditions to ensure the safety of meat sold in local markets and protect residents from diseases transmitted between animals and humans.

According to Shafaq News monitoring, Kirkuk has recorded one case of hemorrhagic fever since the beginning of 2026, while the province registered five deaths out of six reported infections in 2025.

Read more: Blood, ticks, and broken systems: The resurgence of CCHF in Iraq

Shafaq News- Khanaqin

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq held ceremonies on Tuesday to honor Leyla Qasim, the Feyli Kurdish activist executed by the Baath regime 52 years ago, drawing local officials, Kurdish party representatives, and a large gathering of residents to the center of her hometown.

Speakers recalled Qasim's resistance against the Baath regime and her defense of Kurdish rights, saying her legacy has endured in Kurdish national memory as a symbol of sacrifice and freedom, according to a Shafaq News correspondent.

President Nechirvan Barzani, in a statement, called Qasim "not only a national symbol, but also a beacon of awareness and leadership for the women of Kurdistan," saying her conduct in prison and before her execution proved that Kurdish women carry "unwavering determination" and a readiness to sacrifice for their people's freedom and dignity.

پەیامى سه‌رۆك نێچيرڤان بارزانى لە ساڵيادى شەهیدبوونی لەیلا قاسم و هاوڕێکانیداhttps://t.co/yDZFWC84uY pic.twitter.com/HULO79yzts

— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) May 12, 2026

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani wrote that Qasim and her comrades "freely gave their lives for the freedom and dignity of their people."

شەهید لەیلا قاسم و هاوڕێکانی لەپێناو ئازادی و کەرامەتی گەلەکەیان، ئازایانە گیانی خۆیان بەخت کرد و بوون بە سەرمەشق و هێمای بەرخودان بۆ هەموو ئازادیخوازانی کوردستان.لە پەنجا و دووەمین ساڵیادی لەسێدارەدان و شەهیدکردنی لەیلا قاسم و هاوڕێکانیدا سڵاو دەنێرین بۆ ڕۆحی پاکیان و ڕۆحی…

— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) May 12, 2026

About Leyla Qasim

Born in Khanaqin on January 27, 1952, Qasim joined the KDP in 1973 while studying at the College of Arts at the University of Baghdad, where she built a reputation for political activism and underground organizational work. Baath security forces arrested her on the night of April 24, 1974, at her Baghdad home, taking her alongside four cell members: Nariman Fuad Masti, Hassan Hama Rashid, Azad Suleiman Miran, and her fiancé Jawad Hamawandi. Weeks of physical and psychological torture and a show trial followed. All five were executed on May 12, 1974. In 2023, her personal belongings entered the Martyrs of the Homeland Museum in Barzan.

Known as the "Bride of Kurdistan," Qasim remains one of the most prominent figures in Kurdish national memory, commemorated each year as an icon of sacrifice and resistance.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

On Tuesday, participants at a conference attended by environmental organizations and forest police in the Kurdistan Region called for the creation of a special environmental court and tougher penalties for environmental and forest violations as heavy winter rainfall increased fears of summer wildfires.

The proposals were presented during the launch of a national environmental and forest protection strategy organized in Al-Sulaymaniyah by Vision Foundation for Strategic Studies and the Ayinda Organization for Environmental Protection following months of consultations with relevant authorities.

Sakar Sadiq, head of the Future Environment Organization, said during the conference that abundant rainfall this winter led to significant growth in trees and vegetation, increasing the likelihood of seasonal fires across the Kurdistan Region.

Recommendations presented during the conference included banning the public sale of firewood, prosecuting unauthorized tree cutting for heating and recreation, installing surveillance cameras in forests and tourist sites, and increasing staffing and funding for environmental institutions and civil society organizations. Participants also called for wider environmental education campaigns in schools, parks, and public spaces to strengthen public awareness of forest and environmental protection.

Iraq is considered among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing rising temperatures, desertification, drought, and recurring fires. Global Forest Watch recorded more than 1,680 high-confidence fire alerts across the country in 2026 so far, while a 2025 wildfire analysis by PAX found more than 120,000 hectares of land had burned across the Kurdistan Region in recent years.

A separate 2025 regional wildfire study found fire activity in the Kurdistan Region had more than doubled since 2010, with Al-Sulaymaniyah and Duhok accounting for most cumulative forest losses.

Read more: Kurdistan’s forests under threat: War, climate, and efforts to rebuild

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Hundreds gathered in northern Iraq’s Al-Sulaymaniyah on Tuesday at a ceremony honoring support for “West Kurdistan,” where a message from Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi praised backing from Iraqi Kurdistan during recent attacks on Kurdish-held areas in northeastern Syria.

The event, organized by the West Kurdistan Representation Office, drew residents of the Kurdistan Region alongside Kurdish political parties and activists. Participants observed a minute of silence for Kurdish fighters killed during the conflict and placed flowers before portraits of victims from “West Kurdistan,” a term used by Kurdish groups to describe Kurdish-majority areas in northeastern Syria.

In a message read during the ceremony, Abdi said support from the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish unity strengthened the resistance and helped stop the war, stressing that preserving the January 18 ceasefire required continued political and public backing.

Kurdish regions were passing through a “sensitive phase” marked by political and security changes, he warned, calling for greater Kurdish unity.

Shoresh Amin, a Kurdish activist attending the ceremony, told Shafaq News that regional developments directly affect Kurdistan and that demonstrations supporting West Kurdistan highlighted the importance of Kurdish solidarity. Support from the Region and international actors gave “great meaning” to the resistance, a representative of the family of slain Kurdish fighter Ahmed Himen added.

The ceremony also included a message from the Kurdish Red Crescent in northeastern Syria thanking residents and organizations in the Kurdistan Region for humanitarian aid provided during the conflict before concluding with musical performances and poetry readings.

Earlier this year, the Syrian government and the SDF reached a ceasefire agreement outlining a gradual integration of military and administrative structures between both sides. The deal also provides for the incorporation of Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) institutions into Syrian state structures, the retention of civil employees, the settlement of civil and educational rights for the Kurdish community, and guarantees for the return of displaced residents to their hometowns.